Firearm safety



April 2, 31940. M. K. CLIFTON FIREARM SAFETY Filed June 15, 1959 Inventor fi. 467/ 'ffw? A iiomeys Patented Apr. 2, 1940 PATENT OFFICE FIREARM SAFETY Martin Kelly Clifton, Vesta, Va... assignor of onefourth to Russell B. Cassell Application June 15, 1939, Serial No. 279,366

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in safety devices for automatic shot guns and other firearms of the single trigger type and has for one of its important objects to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a

device of this character which moves automatically to operative or looking position without attention on the part of the person using the gun.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide an automatic safety of the aforementioned character which is adapted to be moved to inoperative or released position upon the insertion of a finger in the guard of the firearm for engagement with the trigger.

Still another very important object of the invention is to provide an automatic safety of the character described which is adapted to function as a shield for preventing the trigger from 20 being struck by twigs, limbs, etc., and being actuated thereby thus accidentally discharging the gun.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an automatic safety for firearms which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly eflicient and reliable in use, compact and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure l is a view partially in vertical section and partially in side elevation, showing a firearm safety constructed in accordance with the present invention.

40 Figure 2 is a top plan view of the invention, showing it adapted to the plate of a Browning automatic shotgun.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the lever and cam.

Figure i is a detail view in side elevation of the slidable latch.

Figure is a detail view in top plan of the slidable latch.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the reference numeral. I designates a trigger guard which depends from the forward portion of a metallic plate 2. The plate 2 has formed longitudinally therein a slot 3 in which the trigger 4 is pivotally mounted, said trigger being operable in the guard l. Formed in the trigger l is a notch 5 the purpose of which will be presently set forth.

Mounted for longitudinal sliding movement in the forward portion of the slot 3 is a bolt or latch 6. The latch B has formed longitudinally in its 5 sides grooves I whichreceive ribs 8 on the walls of the slot 3. Depending from the forward end portion of the latch 6 is a lug 9. The lug 9 is operable in an opening II] which is provided therefor in the forward portion of the guard I, 10 said opening communicating with the slot 3.

The rear end portion of the latch 6 is engageable in the notch 5 for locking the trigger 4. This is shown to advantage in Fig. 1 of the drawing. Rising from the rear end portion of the latch B is an ear I I having an opening l2 therein. The opening I! accommodates a pin l3 which is mounted in the plate 2 in the-forward portion of the slot 3. A coil spring It on the pin I3 is engaged with the ear II for yieldingly urging the latch 6 toward the trigger 4.

Threadedly mounted for adjustment in the plate 2 and the forward portion of the trigger guard l are aligned bearings 15. The reference numeral l6 designates a lever in the form of a metallic plate having vertical pintles I! on its forward end journaled in the bearings l5. Thus, the lever I6 is mounted for swinging movement in a horizontal plane in the guard I forwardly of the trigger 4.

The latch 6 has formed longitudinally therein a slot l8 which accommodates the upper bearing l5. Fixed on the uppermost pintle I1 is a cam [9 which is adapted to actuate the latch 6 to inoperative position against the tension of the coil spring M.

It is thought that the operation of the device will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. with the latch 6 engaged in the notch 5 of the trigger 4 under the influence of the coil spring l4, said trigger is positively locked. When a finger is inserted in the guard I from either side for engagement with the trigger 4 the lever It is swung laterally thereby rotating the cam l9. As the cam I9 is engaged 5 with the lug 9 the latch 6 is moved forwardly against the tension of the coil spring l4 out of the notch 5 thereby releasing the trigger 4. When 7 the lever i6 is released said lever is immediately returned to operative position in longitudinal 5o alignment with the trigger 4 by the coil spring I4 through the medium of the latch 6, the lug 9 and the cam l9. Thus, the lever it functions as a shield for preventing the trigger l from fouling on twigs, bushes, etc. It will also be observed that the latch I immediately returns to locking position in engagement with the trigger 4 when the lever i6 is released. By adjusting the threadedly mounted bearings II the frictional resistance of the lever II to swinging movement may be regulated as desired. The construction and arrangement also is such that engagement of the finger with the trigger for pressing said trigger will be virtually impossible without first actuating the lever It. The reference numeral 20 designates a return spring for the trigger 4.

It is believed that the many advantages oi! a firearm safety constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details oi! construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope oi the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A firearm comprising a trigger, a latch slidably mounted on the firearm and engageable with the trigger for locking same, resilient means for actuating the latch to operative position, a lever pivotally mounted on the firearm, and a cam on said lever operatively engaged with the latch for disengaging said latch from the trigger.

2. A firearm safety comprising a slidably mounted latch engaaeable with the trigger ot the firearm for locking said trigger, a lug depending from said latch, an ear rising from the latch, a coil spring engaged with the ear for actuating the latch toward operative position, a lever pivotally mounted on the firearm forwardly of the trigger, and a cam on the pivoted end of the lever operatively engaged with the lug ior retracting the latch against the tension of the coil spring.

3. In, a firearm including a plate having a longitudinal slot therein and a trigger guard depending from the plate, a trigger pivotally mounted in the slot and operable in the guard, said trigger having a notch therein, a latch slidably mounted in the slot and engageable in the notch for locking the trigger, a lug depending from the latch, vertically aligned, adjustable bearings threadedly mounted in the plate and guard, a lever including vertically aligned pintles on one end journaled in said bearings, said lever being operable in the guard forwardly of the trigger, a cam on the pivoted end of the lever engaged with the lug for retracting the latch, and a spring operatively engaged with the latch for engaging said latch with the trigger.

MARTDI KELLY CLIFTON. 

